How to Text via iMessage From an iPad Air

by Laurel Storm, Demand Media

Your iPad Air may not be an iPhone, but thanks to Apple's iMessage feature you can still send text messages to your friends and family, as long as they're also using an iOS device or a Mac with OS X Mountain Lion or later. To set up iMessage on your iPad, you'll need an Apple ID.

Setting It Up

Open your iPad's Settings app, tap "Messages" and sign in with your Apple ID and password. You'll see a list email addresses associated with your Apple ID and, if you've previously set up an iPhone using the same Apple ID, your cell phone number. Tap "Next," tap "Send and Receive" and, if necessary, adjust which email addresses and phone numbers with which you can be reached by iMessage, as well as from which you'll start new conversations.

Sending iMessages

Open the Messages app and tap the "Compose" button. Tap the "+" button by the "To" field to show a pop-up window listing your contacts and then tap a contact to add it as a recipient; alternatively, type a phone number or email address directly into the field. Recipients you can reach by iMessage appear in blue when you add them to the field; if the recipient's phone number or email address isn't registered with iMessage, however, it will display in red and the message won't send. Once you've added recipients, type your message and tap "Send."

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About the Author

Laurel Storm has been writing since 2001. Some of her articles have been published in "Messaggero dei Ragazzi", a small Italian magazine for teenagers. She holds a BA (Hons) in communication and media studies from the European School of Economics and a Master of Arts in writing for television and new media from the University of Turin.

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